Trials of The Dragon
by Cell-Mate666
Summary: AU yes, but it will get good...it's my own thing entirely. I call it this name cuz well it has trials and it has dragons. It fits right?
1. The Dragon of Yldendar

Hi, I figured I would try a new fan fiction and I decided on this. I hope you like it. R&R if you like it ;)!

**Chapter One: The Dragon of Yldendar**

Lurja entered the cave. The people had given her the directions for reaching it and sure enough when she had arrived the stench of dragons' breath greeted her. She was scoffed by millions of towns and villages for being a female dragon slayer. "I will show them that they can not make a fool of me and get away with it. I will prove them wrong." she said quietly. She couldn't afford to wake the dragon that is supposedly inside. She crept slowly inside and the cave got steeper and lower until she couldn't stand due to height or steepness. She took another careful step into the cave and stumbled. She stepped on a weak layer of rocks to gain her footing and they gave way, letting her fall into the caverns bowels. Her head hit a rock on the way down and she knew nothing more than darkness.

When she awoke, she was in the darkest part of the lower caverns. It reminded her of the catacombs in the Kerill monastery. The stench was something new, its foulness making her gag. "I must be close", she said softly. She heard a deep rumble in the same rhythm of sleep as nature was in right now. The dragon was asleep, for now. She got up from where she landed and grabbed her sword. She reached the cavern where the dragon lay and saw… "Nothing!" she said astonished.

The dragon had to have been there but where was it now? She entered the chamber and heard rocks falling somewhere behind her. She whipped around, sword in hand to face it. And saw a small dragon, no bigger than her forearm, cowering in fear. _It is just a baby_, she thought. She jumped when the dragon spoke, its tiny voice crystalline in the dimly lit cavern.

"Are you going to kill me?" it asked in that crystal tone. Lurja hadn't expected anything like this.

"H…Hey, dragons don't talk! You should not be talking! What witchery is this?" said Lurja. The dragon looked at her in confusion and spoke.

"And dragons do talk, just not all of us. I am the last of the crystal dragons. My name is Myrra, it means innocence." She paused, possibly to let her breath catch up to her, before continuing. "The only spell cast here was to create a spirit image of my mother; she was killed two weeks ago by a human just like you. But, she killed the human too. I begged her not to but, she didn't listen…" Lurja interrupted her.

"Wait, your mother is the dragon that killed my brother!" I should kill you to avenge his death. The dragon attempted to back further into the corner it was in and was visibly close to tears. Lurja remembered when her mother had died and lowered her sword.

Myrra spoke fearfully, "A…a…aren't you g…going t…to kill m…me?" The little blue and silver dragon was obviously scared, and she couldn't be more than a few months old as far as Lurja could tell. And dragons grew fast. She bent down closer to the terrified creature and picked her up. She was light… and soft. _Mother always did say that beings with something in common help each other_, she thought.

Lurja spoke softly and kindly for the first time since their meeting "Look, it seems to me that we both have no one left as family. So how about you come with me? We'll go and travel the world and maybe we will be able to forgive transgressions if there are any left to forgive." She let Myrra wrap her tail around her arm to hold on to her shoulder and started out of the cave. She wouldn't be known as a dragon slayer, but she would be known as a dragons friend possibly. Maybe some good can come out of loss, she did feel comfortable around Myrra. And the little one was alone. _I just hope nothing happens that you lose your innocence_, she thought.


	2. The Slaying of Fafnir

Hi I know I am going a lot faster. That is what happens when you get bored. So here is my next chapter, R&R and enjoy!

Chapter Two: The Slaying of Fafnir

Myrra was happy and had been thus since meeting her new friend, Lurja. Lurja was a little tense sometimes but, she was pure of heart. "Myrra, what the hell are you waiting for! Come on we are going to be late! I bet every one is there already!" called out a voice the little crystal dragon knew only too well. The two friends were going to their first Dragon Slayers meeting. Lurja had finally been acknowledged as a Dragon Slayer for her previous dealings with the Darkened Ones.

Finally they reached the tent. It was enormous, large enough to hold at least two full grown dragons. Myrra had to get off of Lurja's shoulder, which had become her permanent perch. Lurja enjoyed having Myrra around and Myrra loved having a friend. But, the Dragon Slayers didn't know about that. So Myrra had agreed to sit outside while Lurja explained their meeting and how far they had traveled together.

"Okay, remember what we talked about?" Lurja asked. But before Myrra could answer, she continued. "Well, whatever lets go over it again. Simple version ok? If they see you they will kill you! Understand?"

Myrra knew she was worried. These were the best Dragon Slayers, if they decided Myrra should die; there was nothing the little dragon could do about it. "Um… maybe I forgot to mention this before but….um…I…can't….uh…fly."

Lurja stopped in her tracks. "YOU WHAT?" she exclaimed. She looked back hurriedly making sure no one had noticed her outburst before continuing.

"What do you mean you can't fly?" she said quietly, almost in a whisper. "You are a dragon are you not?" Myrra looked more than a little embarrassed.

The little dragon started to speak, "Mother tried to teach me but, I never understood. It was right before….." Lurja took note of Myrra's silence and couldn't stay angry. But how could a human teach a dragon anything? Well, that was a bridge for later and Lurja would cross it when the time came.

Lurja gave Myrra an encouraging nod before entering the tent. Upon entrance, she was greeted by a booming voice. "YOU'RE LATE LURJA! I s it too much too ask a newcomer to arrive on time?"

Myrra almost shrieked when the voice yelled at Lurja. The little dragon couldn't help but feel a little guilty. It was her fault they had been late. After all, if Lurja hadn't helped Myrra with the snake bite, they would have arrived before every one else. "I am sorry Lurja…." the little dragon whimpered. Myrra bit back a yelp as a pair of very large hands engulfed her and lifted her up.

"Well, well, well. Looks like Lurja getting soft on us. What do you think Rintr? What do we do with the little curse?" said a scary and rough looking man.

"Let's feed her to Fafnir. How is that little dragon? Eaten by your own kind. That should keep Lurja strong for us." the two men put Myrra in a cage.

"LURJA!" Myrra screamed out for her friend but no reply. Why didn't she hide like she was supposed to?

_I am always doing these things_, she thought dismally. One of the men grabbed an object of some sort and when it touched Myrra's head, she knew no more.

Lurja looked around for Myrra. The meeting had lasted several hours so the tiny dragon could literally be anywhere. Lurja called out for her and received no response. Myrra's hearing was perfect; she would have heard her so the lack of reply meant something was terribly wrong.

Lurja passed two men she had known since childhood, Rintr and Juktr. The two were brothers, almost twins. She stopped them and asked about Myrra. "Hey, have you two seen Myrra? I know you know about her because nothing escapes your ears."

"Sorry we have not seen any crystal dragons today at all." said Rintr. The two looked at each other and laughed.

"What have you done with Myrra?" She yelled, pinning the eldest of the two to the ground.

"Who says we did anything to her? What gives you the right to accuse us of anything huh?" Growled Juktr.

"I never told you she was a crystal dragon. I said I had a dragon named Myrra. So what have you done to her?" Said Lurja coldly. The two men looked at her as though she was angry enough to kill them, which she actually was, and then looked at the den of Fafnir.

Lurja loosened her hold in her astonishment. "You bastards, she is just a young one. She doesn't stand a chance against Fafnir. Remind me to shove my foot up your rears later." she growled.

Lurja grabbed her sword and tipped it with poison from a Pardun and ran to the den. She realized she had forgotten her shield in the tent but didn't go back. Every second was one that could condemn Myrra to her death. A scream startled Lurja out of her thoughts, a scream that she never wanted to hear again.

"Gods, Fafnir's found Myrra!" She ran inside the den and practically fell down the steep incline just beyond the threshold. She looked around and saw the footprints. After following them for a while, she saw Myrra in a cage, likely unconscious.

She ran over and sliced the lock off as though it were made of goat' s fat and dragged Myrra out of the cage. She ran back the way she came and was blocked by Fafnir. The fire serpent took up the entire space from ground to ceiling as he towered above her angrily. The great creature must have known she was there and gone to prevent her escape.

"No you are not preventing Myrra from leaving!" Lurja grabbed her sword and put Myrra on the nearest outcrop. She then ran right at the larger dragon and ducked right when he bit where her head was only a second before. She jammed her sword into his leg and the serpent crashed and stomped trying to get it out but making it impossible for Lurja to get to it.

Myrra woke up wondering what the noise was coming from. Her eyes burned with pain and were still closed but, she couldn't open them, nor could she move. Her ears told her there was battle. And Lurja was there. The pain in her eyes receded and she could open them. She saw Fafnir with a sword in his leg and Lurja with a gash on her arm.

Fafnir raised his enormous paw and was about to bring it down on Lurja when Myrra, ignoring her pain, dashed over to where the sword lay embedded in the great serpent's hide. She pulled at it with all her might but to no avail. She had no choice but to try; flying was something she had never learned.

_But now is as good a time as any to learn_, she thought desperately. She flapped her thin wings harder and harder, gaining the attention of Fafnir in the process, as she slowly pulled the heavy sword out. _How could Lurja possibly carry this with one hand all the time?_

Lurja took the opportunity when it arose, the second Fafnir was distracted by Myrra, she lunged at the dragon's heart to lift off the only scale protecting the soft tender flesh underneath. She gasped when the serpent threw Myrra across the room and cringed when she heard the dull thud of the impact.

Now, the serpent was focused on her and she did it quickly, tearing off the scale and ramming her fist hard into his chest. She found his heart and, with an amazing amount of effort, crushed it in her grasp. The serpent let out a shriek that must have been heard for miles around and crashed to the ground.

Lurja picked up the still Myrra and made her way out of the den. She looked down at the young dragon and wondered if the landing had possibly….killed her. "Come on, you can not die on me now. I…I…" she paused, unable to finish her sentence. But decided that after all that, she shouldn't hold back. She owed it to the little one. "I…need you Myrra. You are my closest friend. Come on, wake up."

"Mmmmmmph…" a small muffled groan came from the little dragon and Lurja jerked her head down to look at the now stirring form of her friend. "You're suffocating me…" She held up Myrra and almost cried.

"I thought I had done a lot worse, Myrra. I thought I had got you killed." Lurja knew she really was crying now.

Myrra looked at her, confused; she asked "Why are you crying?" Lurja jerked her head up from where she had buried it in Myrra's warm body.

"Because I thought I had been the death of you" Myrra rolled her eyes and Lurja realized they were more alike than they first thought.

Maybe they wouldn't be so fortunate to get out alive next time. But knowing Myrra, she would make sure nothing happened so Lurja saved her worries for later. Dinner was already on it's way.

Myrra jumped out of Lurja's arms and ran to the campfire where dinner was being made. She looked over the top of the pot and when it was lifted up; she fell off and rolled right into Lurja.

Lurja almost yelled when Myrra's sharp tail tip jammed itself into her foot. But instead she looked down at the little dragon who had a guilty look on her face.


	3. A New Quest

Chapter 3: A New Quest

Ever since Lurja had killed Fafnir, the little town had been in an uproar. People whispering in corners about how they thought it had gone. But only Lurja would know how close she had come to losing something she cherished dearly. It had been three days and Lurja was still feeling that same guilt. Myrra was still asleep in her corner of the shelf. Lurja figured she had chosen that place out of fear of being dragged away again.

"Will you stop feeling guilty already? I am okay. I didn't get that badly hurt, just knocked out." said Myrra sleepily. Lurja couldn't help but smile though as the little dragon fell off the shelf in the attempt of getting down. Myrra grinned sheepishly after landing in Lurja's arms.

"Myrra, what in the heavens would you do with out me?" she paused as she saw a council member waving to her to follow. "Myrra, you stay here, okay? I will be back."

When they had gone out of the little dragon's sight, the council member spoke softly. "My name is Sardonil. You and Myrra are being sent on a rescue. Deep in the mountains, there is a thicket of fearies. They have been terrorized by an Ice Draconis. The terrible creature has frozen the fearies thicket and they have no way to survive. The council has been pressured ever since to do something but, there is nothing we can do. But, I have made the decision to ask you for help. We are in no position to make demands so; anything you need is yours if you agree to…" Lurja cut him off before he could finish. This was the chance she had been waiting for since she was almost as small as Myrra.

"We will go." She said happily. Sardonil stared at her as though it had been too easy.

"Y…you will? This is absolutely fanta….wait we?" he paused, eyeing her.

"Yes, we….Myrra is coming with me and we will find another to go with us." She said, and Sardonil, who apparently thought she meant he was going, let out a sigh of relief.

Sardonil then asked quietly. "Who do you have in mind?" Lurja just smiled and said nothing.

Myrra yawned again for the umpteenth time since Lurja woke her up. She said they were going to get repayment for a favor. But how did the woods have to do with a favor? "Matinai! Are you here?" called Lurja. Myrra jumped and almost shrieked when a boy jumped down from the tree tops.

"What do you….Lurja? It's been a while!" He said. Lurja asked him if he wanted to help them with a rescue. "Are you kidding? That Dragon has been getting on my nerves. I just have had no way to get to him."

"By the way, Matinai, this is Myrra. I met her in Yldendar." Myrra jumped onto the boy's shoulder. If Lurja trusted him, so could she.

When they got to the path that was supposed to lead them safely to the thicket, Myrra had a bad feeling that something wasn't right. They started down the path anyway; after all, it was their only way to the thicket. Matinai obviously felt the same until Lurja ushered them both onto the path. Myrra noticed Lurja's hands shaking and guessed they were all feeling a little bit, cautious.

After a while Myrra thought she was hearing things. She thought the bushes were rustling when they passed. Myrra looked again and realized she wasn't imagining things. She bit Matinai on the shoulder and looked at the bushed on either side of them. His eyes widened and he looked at Lurja, who was at least five feet in front of them. "Wait, Lurja!" whispered Matinai. He went forward and grabbed Lurja's shoulder to keep her from going on. He looked at the bushes again and Myrra shivered.

"What is wrong with you two? The thicket is right there!" said Lurja before rushing forward. She stopped when an arrow whizzed past her cheek making a cut. She turned around and yelled to Myrra and Matinai. "It's an ambush!"

When they caught up to Lurja, they saw she was right. Council members and dragon slayers of the council stepped out of the bushes. "What?" Lurja had looked at the nearest one. He was the same one who pulled her aside and sent them to the thicket, right into the ambush.

"You planned this, why?" asked Lurja. Sardonil looked a little ashamed but then looked at Myrra.

"Yes, I did, because that dragon is still a dragon. She will grow, and she will kill us all. Do you not see, Lurja?" he said to Lurja. Myrra was shocked; she knew Lurja had nothing to do with this. But she was getting in deep, what if she turned Myrra in?

The look on her face betrayed her thoughts to Matinai, who shook his head and whispered. "She would never do that to you or any one she cared for."

Lurja couldn't believe this was happening. A woman council member handed her a spear saying, "You can redeem yourself by killing it. Lurja, you are the best slayer we have set our eyes on, please do not throw it away for a dragon." Lurja looked at the woman then at Myrra before taking the spear. She looked at the ground as she turned and walked towards Matinai and the little dragon.

She looked up and caught a glimpse of Myrra. The little dragon looked betrayed, and from her point of view, she likely was. The look vanished though when Lurja turned and threw the spear at the woman who had handed it to her. The flying weapon hit dead on in the heart and the woman dropped, leaving the other council members stunned. Sardonil looked at her. "You can not possibly know who you are dealing with Lurja. You have condemned yourself and that boy." He spat before walking away, the others followed.

Lurja looked at Myrra, who looked a little relieved but, still a little fearful. The little dragon made her way to Lurja and asked. "Would you really have…." She stopped herself, unable to finish and Lurja didn't let her continue.

"No, I would not have. You are my friends and those people….well, they can drop dead for all I care." Myrra jumped on the shoulder of her friend.

Lurja knew what she wanted to do now. The council had put a seed of doubt between Lurja and Myrra that could never be removed. She was going to hunt them down, one by one and make them regret it to their bones.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." She said to herself so not even Myrra could hear her. They would regret and pay dearly.


End file.
